Former spouse of wealthy student released from prison, will not inherit estate

Xia Chaoyuan, the former same-sex spouse of a high school student who died shortly after their marriage registration, has been released from prison. Xia was incarcerated for forging documents related to a sham marriage. He was sentenced to one year and six months for this offense and served his time in various correctional facilities, including the Mingde Outer Prison in Tainan. Due to good behavior, his sentence was reduced, and he was released in May.

The student, identified by the surname Lai, possessed over 500 million NT dollars in property. He and Xia registered their marriage, but Lai died by falling from a building less than two hours later. Xia and his father were investigated for murder but were ultimately not indicted. However, Xia was prosecuted for the sham marriage and forgery.

Despite his prison release, Xia will not receive any portion of the student's considerable inheritance. This is due to a civil lawsuit filed by the student's mother, which resulted in a court ruling that the marriage was invalid. The court determined that Xia did not enter the marriage with genuine intent. This ruling was upheld on appeal, and neither party appealed further, making the decision final. As Xia is not legally recognized as a spouse, he is barred from inheriting the estate.

During the appeal process, Xia reportedly cried and denied the charges. He also addressed public speculation that he married the student solely for financial gain, though his defense did not sway the court. The case has garnered significant public attention due to its sensitive nature and the substantial wealth involved.